The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Downs, Joseph, 1764-1842, weaver                          

Title:               Accounts

Dates:             1801-1837

Call No.:         Col. 304

Acc. No.:        68x97

Quantity:        21 items

Location:        2 I 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Joseph Downs was a weaver in Weston, Fairfield County, Connecticut.  In 1814 he went to work for Merchants & Co. factory.  He served in the American army at some time in his life.  He sometimes spelled his surname as Down.

 

Joseph Downs seems to be that man who was born around 1764, the son of Sarah Chauncey and Nathaniel Downs (1714-1779).  His wife was Betsey (Elizabeth Downs, 1777-1837).  This Joseph Downs died in 1842.  He had siblings named Chauncey, John, and Mary, which names do occur in the weaver’s account book.  This man served in Captain Jarvis’ company in the American Revolution, and this account of his service was found:

Enlisted April 1780 in Greenfield Parish under Capt. Isaac Jarvis to guard the coast. Was ordered to Fairfield under Ens. Chauncy Downs. Had guard house in Fairfield and regularly kept a guard of six men on Fairfield Beach at night. Once went with guard of three men to take a prisoner to New Haven. On September 1782 was drafted for a month in Connecticut Militia in James Bulkley Company. Was sent to Mill River. Resided in Fairfield until 1810 when he moved to Weston. (See Pension files S 12785)

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of an account book, orders, receipts, and accounts relating to Joseph Downs' activities as a weaver.  The account book contains entries from 1801 to 1837, with the bulk being before 1814.  Such woven items as flannel, blankets, check, linen, bed ticking, carpeting, fine wool, bed cloth, broadcloth, and plaid are mentioned.  Credits were given, often to women, for spinning, yarn, linen, and other items needed for his loom.  Farm produce and activities are also mentioned.  Several loose items laid into the account book, including part of a page from a cyphering book.  Name index found in front of this volume.

 

A second group of accounts features lists of fabrics with colors and yardages along with accounts for weaving.  In addition, there is an order for cloth from a Sarah S. Nichols with specific instructions for weaving it.  Another request is for weaving yarn.  There is also a group of accounts and receipts related to agricultural activities and the purchase of food.  Finally, there is a letter dated 1833 to Downs about his pension from the War Department.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Items are in accession number order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Cederic L. Robinson.

 

 

RELATED MATERIAL

 

See also Fol. 156 at this repository: accounts of Solomon O. Banks of Connecticut.  Banks recorded work done for Downs on page 71 of his account book; Downs recorded work done for Banks on page 5 of his account book.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Textile fabrics.

            Textured woven fabrics.

Spinning – Connecticut.

Weaving – 19th century.

Weaving – Connecticut - Weston.

Military pensions.

            Household linens.

            Floor coverings.

            Farm produce.

            Agriculture - Accounting - Connecticut - Fairfield County.

            Business records - Connecticut - Fairfield County.

            Accounts.

Account books.

Receipts.

Weavers.        

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 2 I 2

 

 

.1         Account book

 

 

.2         pages, apparently from an account book:

a.                   lists of colors with measurements of some kind (on both sides);

b.                  obverse: colors and measurements;

reverse: accounts of weaving done for Selleck S. Andrews and Rowlan Hood, 1829-1830; Andrews’ account mentions colors

c.                   obverse: the credits, perhaps for Andrews and Hood;

reverse: accounts of weaving done for Buel Sherwood, Harvey L. Schribner [sic, i.e. Scribner], Samuel Bradley, and Bache[?] Sherwood, 1829-1833;

d.                  obverse: credits, perhaps for Ruel Sherwood and Harvey L. Scribner, 1829-1836 (if for these men, then Scribner shoed Downs’ horses);

reverse: accounts of farm work done for Christopher Godfrey, 1829-1832;

e.                   obverse: credit, perhaps for Christopher Godfrey, and accounts of weaving done for Eliphalet T. Smith and Thomas Wood;

reverse: accounts of weaving done for Thomas Wood, Alvord Sherwood, and Levi Coley, 1829-1831;

f.                    obverse: credits for unknown person, 1829-1831;

reverse: calculations;

g.                  obverse: list of Mrs. Rowlan’s carpet, giving colors, and calculations;

reverse: accounts of weaving done for John Addams, Elmy[?] Coley, James Brown, and credits for Whitman Nichols, 1829-1835

h.                  Very partial page: credit given to unknown person, 1829, April 8, by carting load of goods; on reverse: 14, 70

i.                    Obverse: account of farm work done for John Addams, 1828; calculations on reverse;

j.                    Obverse: “Nathan Beers bill,” with charges for soling shoes, a pair of thin shoes, a load of wood, brown linen, cotton cloth, rye, mutton, cash, flannel, etc., no date;

                        reverse: various notes and calculations; Weston is written at top of page;

 

.3         note from Sarah S. Nichols, no place, no date: about material she is giving to Downs to weave; has calculated for 24 yards; has mixed the rags as she wishes to have them woven; Mr. Nichols has finished a hat for him

[Possibly this was from Sarah Sherwood Rowland. Nichols (1797-1879) of Weston, Conn.; her husband was Woolsey Nichols (1795-1848).]

 

.4         a.         calculations

            b.         credits given to Rachel Sherard, for cash, butter, cheese, bread

 

.5         note from Joseph Downs to Mr. Chapman, no place, no date: cannot get his cider today

 

.6         account, April 22, 1805: bought of Joseph Downs: feathers, bushels of corn, etc.;

            On back: Messrs Abijah Hawley & C F

 

.7         obverse: note to Joseph Down from Ebenezer[?] Werke[?]: please to let [faint] Gilbert have something; July 16, 1806: order accepted;

            Reverse: more notes about Werke’s order and calculations

 

.8         obverse: receipt for payment made in October 1807 by Joseph Down, signed Caleb Mills Morehouse; also partial accounts of cutting by or for Jesse Nichols and Ebr. Nichols’

            Reverse: calculations, Bankses broad ax, and a note: “If you will read these names rite of without slammering I will get you a pare of shears,” with a list of names

 

.9         obverse: note to Joseph Downs, from unknown person, Saugatuck, Oct. 6, 1808: sending yarn and asks that Downs weave it;

            Reverse: address to Mr. Joseph Downs, Weston, and calculations

 

.10       obverse: promise to pay Ezekiel O. Banks, dated Weston, Nov. 20, 1811, with signature torn away; also some calculations;

            Reverse: memoranda about payments made; and endorsement: Joseph Down note

 

.11       note from Joseph Down, Weston, Dec. 13, 1811, to Mrs. [or Mr.] Perry; requests enough yarn to weave 60 yards for her [or him]; calculations on reverse

 

.12       obverse: promise to pay Eben. B[illegible] 3d, Feb. 27, 1813, with name torn off;

            Reverse: “Joseph Down note,” with memorandum that note partially paid with weaving baggin

 

.13       “For value rec’d, I promise to pay Isaac Downs twenty dollars …, Weston, May 11, 1812, with name of Joseph Downs cut off;

            Reverse: “Joseph Down note,” with memoranda of payments

 

.14       obverse: various names and calculations, but also a promise to pay Eli Broom, signed Bloom Coward and witnessed by Lockwood Nimble;

            Reverse: credits for milk received from Joseph Mills, Jr., 1813, and lots of calculations

 

.15       account of weaving (cotton, flannel, check linen, bed tick, etc.) done for Joseph Chapman, 1816-1822, and credits to his account (mostly for rye); some calculations on reverse

 

.16       account of weaving (flannel, bed tick, etc.) done for E. Smith, 1816-1817, and credits to his account (oats, veal, beef, potatoes, corn, etc.); calculations on both sides

 

.17       note from Bradford Winston, Weston, July 3, 1833, to Joseph Downs: about a War Department pension awarded to Downs

 

.18       account of Mrs. [?]. Sterling, 1833, mentioning some weaving but also tobacco, cider brandy, flour,;with calculations on the back

 

.19       printed table, with caption missing, but probably a chart converting dollars to pounds and shillings, with calculations on the back and also the name Horace Down

 

.20       obverse: words to a song or poem which begins “Come each jolly fellow/that loves to be mellow”; also some calculations;

            Reverse: rest of song or poem; at end: To The Farmer; also some names and calculations

 

.21       obverse: part of a mathematical exercise;      

            Reverse: part of another mathematical exercise, and random calculations